A Serpent and His Rose (A Draco Malfoy Story)

A Serpent and His Rose [Speak Now]

Nobody woke you for breakfast the next morning. You woke up late due to the bright sun beating down on you from the window. You were sure everyone knew what happened to you, and that people wouldn’t know how to act around you today. But it was the last day of classes before Easter break, and you saw no point in going, since you were already behind anyway and wouldn’t know what was going on. You didn’t want to put yourself through that torture.

Getting ready that morning proved to be difficult. You tried not to think of Adam, or Draco. You tried to keep your mind blank. Or focused on a song or a Transfiguration spell… anything. But you had this paranoid feeling like someone was watching you. You couldn’t help but look over your shoulder. That was probably a natural response after what you had been through though.

Your stomach grumbled and you looked at the clock. It was lunchtime. You didn’t want to brave the crowds of Hogwarts students just yet, so you made your way to the kitchen entrance you and Harry had went to before. You tickled the pear and the painting swung open. The house elves greeted you happily and you sat and ate a small salad. You were starving but you felt you could barely stomach it. You thanked them and left promptly, making your way back up to the common room. You heard hurried footsteps coming your way and ducked behind a statue.

“…it’s just a shame Crabbe. I mean, he was the man just a few months ago! My bro! And I definitely miss having the wingman Malfoy by my side.” Blaise was leaving the common room with Crabbe and Goyle. You watched them pass and saw Crabbe nodding.

“That chick has got him twisted.” Goyle growled. Their conversation faded away and you came out from your hiding spot. You shook your head and walked to the common room entrance. You couldn’t believe those guys! After all that’s happened, they don’t care about what Malfoy’s going through! They just want their cool friend back. You entered the Slytherin common room, still fuming at them.

“Get out Blaise!” you heard Draco yell when you walked in the common room. You froze, as he turned angrily to where you stood. His expression instantly softened. “Oh… I thought you were--”

“I know.”

“Yeah… They were, er, giving me a hard time.” he said, putting his hands in his pockets.

“Okay.”

You felt extremely awkward. You crossed your arms over your chest. Draco didn’t seem to know how to start the conversation either.

“You slept down here last night?” you asked, motioning toward the blanket draped over the couch.

“Yeah.” he said, walking toward you. “I couldn’t sleep up there. It was… too hard.” He went to take your hand but you stepped back away from him.

“Draco--” you began.

“Andrea, please don’t do this! I’ve been going crazy since we spent the night together. I need you! And you know you need me too.” he pleaded. He took your hand and your heart sank. You knew this would happen.

“Draco… I can’t. I’m going through a lot right now. It’s really hard for me to even function.”

“But I want to be there for you.”

“BUT YOU CAN’T!” you found yourself shouting. You tore your hand away from him, but he grabbed your arm. You shrieked, pulling your arm away quickly.

“I’m sorry!” Draco said as you looked at him angrily. “I didn’t mean to scare you I just… I don’t know how to get you to listen to me.”

“You listen to me. Where are you going tomorrow? You are LEAVING! To go get married. So you want to be there for me for what? The next 12-14 hours?!” you asked. He stood there, mouth agape, not sure how to respond. “You are NOT helping me Draco. You are hurting me. Sending me flowers… telling me you love me?”

You collapsed onto an armchair, trying to hold back the tears forming in your eyes. He sat next to you. “I know.” he said. “I… I don’t have to-- I could just not show up.”

“Bullshit.” you said quietly. He sat quietly again, rubbing your back slowly.

“I do love you.” He whispered. You turned toward him and leaned in, kissing him on the cheek. He held the back of your head as you pulled away, forcing you to look in his eyes. You spent this whole time trying to avoid looking in his eyes, but there they were. You felt like you could see inside his soul. He looked so scared. He leaned forward and his lips met yours. He pulled your body towards him, his hands were cool and shaking a little bit. You pulled away slowly. Then you let out a sigh.

“You really fucked this up, Draco.”

“I know. I kick myself for it every day.” he said sincerely. You dropped his hands and got up from the chair.

“Goodbye Draco.” you said, not looking back as you left him and walked upstairs to the girls’ dormitories.

*    *    *    *

“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!”

You jolted up from bed in alarm. Tammy and Kasey were standing in the doorway, both had their arms crossed and were looking sternly at you.

“Sleeping…” you said groggily, laying back down. “What are you guys doing here?” you asked. They were supposed to have left that morning for break. You elected to stay at Hogwarts that week, wanting to be alone.

“Girl, it is 3 pm! Get your ass up!” Tammy said, tugging at your bed covers. You moaned. You were exhausted. It was hard for you to get any sleep, because you were constantly having nightmares. You didn’t want them to know that though. You were truly miserable. Easter break started yesterday and you spent the entire day in bed. Draco left that morning for the West’s manor. Your heart broke for what felt like the millionth time that morning. You stayed hidden in your room, not wanting to see him again.

“Leave me alone.”

“Listen, we know you are like depressed, or whatever. But we discussed it and we decided… you need to get your shit together girl!”

“Wow Kasey… You always were a sensitive one eh?” you said, looking at her disbelieving.

“What she means to say is that we think you are making a HUGE mistake!” Tammy said, eyeing Kasey angrily. She just shrugged and stepped back.

“Huh?” you asked, pulling a sweater over your head.

“Don’t you know what day it is?!” Kasey asked, obviously upset at your lack of urgency.

“Tuesday?” you asked, not entirely sure.

“It’s the Malfoy-West wedding.”

“Oh. That. Well thanks for reminding me but my invitation must have gotten lost in the mail.” you stood, making your way to the bathroom. Unfortunately the girls followed like baby chicks following their mother.

“You seriously aren’t going to do anything?” they both asked.

“I am seriously not going to do anything.” you said calmly. They looked at each other, then nodded. You looked at them confused, and then they each grabbed one of your arms and dragged you back to your bed. They threw you down onto it and you got up angrily.

“What the hell!” you yelled angrily.

“You listen here!” Kasey shouted. You shrunk back. You never saw Kasey assert herself like this before. She seemed proud of herself as she continued. “Tammy was right in saying you are the only girl Draco has every cared about. And you KNOW he isn’t doing this at his own will. And you aren’t going to try and stop it?!”

“There is no point.” You said dejectedly.

“Bitch please!” Tammy said. You looked up, hurt. “They don’t put that whole speak now or forever hold your peace mumbo jumbo in there for nothing! You need to go speak up!”

“No… I can’t do that.”

“Who is this girl in front of us Kasey?” Tammy asked. Kasey shrugged and looked around. You glared.

“I don’t know. She sure as hell isn’t Andrea Rose though. Because Andrea Rose doesn’t take shit from anybody. And she sure as hell doesn’t give up the love of her life because his daddy says so!”

“He’s not the love of my life.” you whispered, extremely unconvincingly.

“Andy, we know he is. You are the only one who doesn’t want to do anything about it for some reason. But we, your two best friends, do NOT want you to be miserable for the rest of your life. You are letting everything beat you! You need to fight back.” Kasey said, pulling you up. They held out one of your nicer dresses to you. You hesitated before taking it. You felt tears well up in your eyes.

“This is killing me you guys…” you said. They hugged you, and you smiled. “I love him. I--” you stopped briefly before deciding to tell them the truth. “He was my first.”

“What?!” they both squealed. “When did this happen?”

“It doesn’t matter… It was amazing. But we both knew when we did it that it would be the last time.” You said, turning and putting the dress back in your trunk.

“BUT--” they began in unison. You held up your hand and they shut up.

“I’m not going anywhere. End of discussion.” and with that, you sat back down on your bed. You heard the girls slowly walk out of the room, talking in hushed tones behind you. You glanced at the clock. 3:30 PM. By 5 PM, Draco Malfoy would be married to Felicia West. You curled back up in bed, and pulled the covers over your head, shutting yourself out from the world.